Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose kicked off Tuesday’s question period by bringing up the National Energy Board’s study on their decision regarding the TransMountain pipeline, which is coming out later this week. She said the Liberal government wants “a review of the review,” which will create uncertainty in the energy sector.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back, saying the uncertainty was created by the previous Conservative government which, for 10 years, didn’t understand the relationship between building a strong economy in conjunction with protecting the environment and building relationships with Indigenous people.

“The fact is for 10 years the members opposite couldn’t get it done,” he said.

Dominant topic

Electoral reform was on the lips of many Conservative MPs who pushed for Minister of Democratic Reform Maryam Monsef to clarify if the government would submit changes to the electoral system to a nationwide referendum.

Tory MP Jason Kenney said despite Monsef’s warm words on working together, the Liberal government stacked the entire process with Liberals and that Parliament belongs to the people.

“We believe in government of, for, and by the people, not of for and by the Liberal Party.”

The provincial referendums of Prince Edward Island in 2005, Ontario’s in 2007 and British Columbia’s in 2009, didn’t give those Liberal governments the results they wanted, he said.

Monsef pointed out in those referendums that nearly half of the population didn’t vote.

“Is that okay, is that acceptable?” she asked.

She said there are tools that available — like town hall meetings and social media — that can be used to ensure those who face barriers have their voices addressed on the topic of electoral reform.

Newsworthy exchange

NDP Transport Critic Linda Duncan raised her concern over temporary foreign workers who have found themselves caught in the fires of Fort McMurray. She said many of them were “living in great uncertainty” as they have no alternative income or family support.

She said many of them had also lost work permits and permanent citizenship documents.

“What is being done to help these temporary foreign workers?” she asked.

Minister for Employment MaryAnn Mihychuk said she is troubled by the workers displaced by the blazes in Fort McMurray, calling their situation “dire.”

She noted it’s the responsibility of the employer to ensure the workers accommodation while they are in Canada. She said Service Canada is available to the temporary foreign workers and that Ottawa would work with them and their employers to find alternative accommodation.

Line of the day

During an exchange between Monsef and Conservative MP Steven Reid, a few members got rowdy and out of hand. House Speaker Geoff Regan reprimanded them about the need to respect different views “without yelling and acting out. Let’s show respect for this place and the public who elected and put us here.”